ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

White House’s Misguided Campaign Against Fauci

• The White House’s effort to discredit infectious disease expert and White House Coronavirus Task Force member Dr. Anthony Fauci ramped up this week. The White House issued a statement saying that several administration officials were “concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things.”
• The White House tried to downplay the statement, saying it was simply an answer to a “direct question.”
• But outside Trump economic adviser Stephen Moore is reportedly working on his own anti-Fauci memo titled “Dr. Wrong.”
• A number of Republican Trump allies publicly backed Fauci this week, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told reporters in Kentucky that he has “total” confidence in Fauci.
• Still, the White House’s misguided effort continued with trade adviser Peter Navarro penning a scathing op-ed against Fauci in USA Today.
• Fauci, for his part, told the Atlantic that efforts to discredit him are a “major mistake” that ultimately hurts President Trump.

Just Wear A Dang Mask!

• Wearing a mask in public is one of the easiest ways we can prevent the spread of the coronavirus. And a number of governors and businesses have come around to the idea this week.
• Walmart became the largest retailer in the U.S. to require masks in its stores.
• Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) instituted a mask mandate in her state as cases there surge. Colorado and Arkansas followed suit.
• There were, however, a couple notable exceptions. After testing positive for coronavirus, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said he wasn’t considering a mask mandate at all. And Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp took things a step further, explicitly banning mask mandates in his state and filing a lawsuit against the city of Atlanta over its mask requirement.

Trump To The Rescue For Gun-Toting St. Louis Couple?

• St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner slammed President Trump and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) on Tuesday for attempting to meddle in a case involving a couple who waved their guns at a crowd of peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters.
• “Today, both the Governor and Donald Trump came after me for doing my job and investigating a case,” Gardner said in a statement.
• On Thursday, a lawyer representing the couple told TPM that he had been in contact with the White House amid Gardner’s investigation.
• “I’ve been in direct contact with the (White House) chief of staff,” Watkins said when asked if he had heard from the White House regarding the investigation.

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